Journal lubricator



Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. HALL AND MARK P. COCHRANE, OF BRA-INERD, MINNESOTA.

JOURNAL LUBRICATOR.

Application filed February 14, 1921. Serial No. 444,885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. HALL and MARK P. COCHRANE, citizens of the United States, residing at Brainerd, in the countyof Crow \Ving andStateof-Minnesota, have invented certain new and use fullmp'rovements in Journal Lubricators; andwe do hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. The present invention relates generally to lubricators and more particularly to such devices for oiling or lubricating the journals of railroad cars, it'being the object of the invention to provide a novel and improved lubricator for application to a journal within the journal box, for lubricatin the journal in a thoroughly efficient and refiable manner. a

It is also the object of the invention to provide such a lubricator which is simple and inexpensive in construction, and which can be readily placed within and removed from an ordinary journal box without requiring alterations therein.

A further object is the provision of ajournal lubricator provided with novel means to accommodate and fit the journal and retain the lubricator in operative posi-. tion.

Astill further object is the provision of novel means to fit the j ournaland supply the lubricant thereto, whereby the surface of the journal is kept lubricated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the com ponent parts, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a medium longitudinal vertical section of the journal box and lubricator therein, showing the journal and other parts in elevation.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section of the lubricator on the line 22 of Fig. 3.

, journal as usual.

Fig. 3 a plan view thereof, portions bein broken away. I

Tn Fig. 1 there is illustrated an ordinary journal box 1 located at the outer side of the respective car wheel I 2 from which the journal '3 of'the axle projects within the j ournal box as usual, the journal has a collar 4 at the end, andthe bearing 5 seats on the journal 3- in accordance with. standard practice. The journal box 1 has a cover or closure l 'topermitaccess to behad to the ,The present 'lubricator comprises a reservoir or cellar 6 for the oil or other lubricant, and the top of the reservoir orchamber has a longitudinal concaved channel or recess 7 concentric with the lower, portion .of the journal 3, so thatthe reservoir lies below the bottom of the journal. The endsof the channel 7 are open and at the outer end of the channel 7 thetop of the reservoir has a transversegroove or cut-away portion 8 for the purpose of receiving the collar 4, as seen in Fig. 1. This serves to maintain the lubricator in longitudinal position, as well .as accommodating said collar. The outer end of the reservoir extends upwardly, as at 9, across the outer end of the channel or depressed portion of the top, and this extension rises above the bottom of the channel and iswidene'd, as. seen in Fig. 3, to hold lubricant in reserve. Thus, the lubricant within said. chamber can be maintained at a level above the bottom of the channel, the extension-or portion 9 being provided with an upper filling opening 10 closed by a removable plugfor cap 11, so that when the cover 1* of the journal box is swung open it is an easy matter to remove the plu 11,.on account of its bein located beyond t e outer end of the journal adjacent to the opening of the journal box, when the cover is opened. This renders it convenient for filling the reservoirfrom time to time.

In order to provide for the feeding of the lubricant to the journal, the bottom of the channel or depression 7 of the top of the reservoir, is provided with a central longitudinal slot 12, and a pad 13 of leather, felt or other absorbent porous material is disposed over the channel 7 and is arcuate in section to fit the bottom and sides of the journal. The reservoir is provided with flanges or lips 14 extending along the edges of the channel 7, and the pad 13 extends across said flanges 14. A secondary pad 1:) is secured to the lower surface of the main pad 13.. bymeans of rivets oi; clinched nails 16, and fits snugly in and on the channel 7 with its edges abutting the flanges l4, and

a strip 17 is secured s milarly to the lQWQ!" surface of the pad 15 and fits snugly down in the slot 12. To keep the edge pdrtions of the pad 18 snugly against the sides of the journal, arcuate leaf springs 18 extend transversely under the pad 13 and over the pad 15 at suitably spaced longitudinal points, and said springs are clamped and secured between the pads, and the end por-. tions of the springs are secured to the pad- 13 by means of rivets 19 or the like. These springs 18 tend to ,curl up slightly, whereb their end portions bend toward the jburna thereby holding the edge portions of the pad 13 snugly against the journal, while the cen tral longitudinal portion .of thepad isheld snugly against the lower surface of the journal. The strip 1'? fitting in the slot 12 will holdthepads in place and the padil5 and strip 17' are preferably of the .same material as the'pad'l3.

Apertures 20 are provided in the central longitudinal porti'on'of th'epads 13 and 15 ml p 17 at u b y peee points t open into the reservoir, whereby the lubricant can flow upwardly through the aper. tures in which eyelets 21 are preferably fitted from above so that the lubricant flows upwardly to the journal, and'the lubricant willbe absorbed by the padlji l, to distribute the lubricant throughout the area of the pad and contacting surface of the journal, This will spread the lubricant in a fil m over the journah'thereby keeping the contacting surfaces of the journal and bearing well lubricated. It is'noted that thejournal 3 covers or closes the eyelets 21 to prevent too, rapid flowof lubricant, and ,thelubricant works gradually from saideyeletsbetween the pad and journal as needed;

As a means for retainingthelubricator up against the journal, coiled Wire expam sion or lifting springs 22 are disposed underneath the reservoir at suitable points thereof, and their upper ends, abutthe bottom of the reservoir'and are referably 'se cured around bosses 23-depen ing froni the bottom of the reservoir; Thus, when the. lubricator is inserted into the journal box and pushed under the journal, thesprings 22 will be compressed, and when the lubri-r cator is moved home the springs will lift" it up against the journal with'de sired tension, the springs 22 seating on the bottom of the journal box.

The reservoir 6 can be readily cast from suitable metal in one piece or can be otherwise manufactured at small cost, and the lubricator can be made and installed with minimum expense, labor and time, but nevertheless it will serve its ofiice in a highly satisfactory manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A lubricator comprising a lubricant reservoirhaving a top provided with means for the upward flow of lubricant therethrough', an absorbent pad to fit against a journal the secondary pad attached to the first named pad to fit on the top of said reservoir, the first named pad having its dge p rt ens, proi c i s beyond he se o ary pad, spring means for pressing the projecting edge portions of the first named Pad ga nst th i u nel- A, lubricator c p ri i r ga lu rica rese voi -h 1ig..e.v a eh reuate P ex endiifaac oss. he Qh'an l' fit g nst j urnal, and. a econdary rcuat r ti hed to th afbr aid'pad land fi d in sa hannel, said h ms ham. means. for the flow of 'lubri'eaiit to the pads, the fir hnem d pad be ng w der thani e s Qada vred w th t d e p rti ns. P fQlecti gbeymid theedgss o the se ndary p and re erv ir-q .A.. l bri'q tqr c mp sing a l ric nt r serv i h vinsa thpri'or de'd i h a s t, p d spo ed v sai top .te fiti j u net. and e unat ached t the pa nd fitted in said 'sl'ot, said pad and strip havis apertur ter t flaw .o l b n t e th'rough from the reservoir-to the journal 4-. f ub iset r c mpri ng; a ubr ant ser o av g?! t p pro id dth' h e ha i g mea er h H f ub n therethrough, and an absorbent pad extending across said channel and'curved to fit again hi'o na ia se ndary-pad. ttached to the a re i Pad and fitte i a Cha r.

a nd tr ns er e .ar'euet' pr n' m ans between the pads for pressing the first named. red aga n t he jou na A. u r ca o ompri ing a i ant reselivoirw havin we p ovide wi hl channel ga q aihidine fslbt, a pad xtending. across the channel to fit a journal. ase'contlar, pad attached to. the aforesaid red a M S'firi a ac d t he se nda y padd: fi d in said s at, s i P d nd. st p having apertures, for the fl'ow of lubricant therethrou h'.

6". lubricator comprising a, lubricant reservoir having-a slot or opening, a pad seated against the, reservoir and having a portionfitted in said slot or opening, said pad and ortion being apertured for the Outward 9 f lubri nt fr m th erv ir to the journal.-

7. A lubricator comprising a lubricant reservoir having a top with means forthe ted snugly in said' channel, a. 

